Quest For Bru-108: Men's College Cup Open Thread (Women's Volleyball Too!)
by Ryan Rosenblatt on Dec 9, 2011 3:09 PM PST
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PrintJorge Salcedo and his men's soccer team have had a rocky year, but they sure are peaking at the right time. Sure, they were ranked in the top two in the preseason and went winless in their first two, but here they stand today getting ready for the College Cup as Pac-12 champions and winners of eight straight. Not too shabby.
Of course, the final win in the Bruins' eight straight to get here was last week in Louisville, where Reed Williams scored in extra time to top a Cardinals team that has the Bruins' number. Louisville eliminated the Bruins last year in an epic 5-4 quarterfinal match and got the Bruins again in this year's season opener so getting past the Cardinals is a big deal to this UCLA team. Now they're flying high as they head to Hoover, AL to take on top-seeded North Carolina (5:30 pm PT, ESPNU/ESPN3).
For the Bruins, it's going to be about keeping the ball. The defense has gotten much of the acclaim, and rightly so with Shawn Singh and Andy Rose playing tremendously in front of Brian Rowe, but much of the stingy defense can be chalked up to a system predicated on keeping the ball. If the Bruins can stay on the ball and knock it around, not only can they stretch the opponent and open up space to attack, but they can keep the opponent from getting forward as well. And with the Bruins able to keep the ball for long stretches, their defense is rarely threatened.
That's going to be especially important today against UNC because of what the Tar Heels have in the attack. Billy Schuler and Enzo Martinez lead a Tar Heels team that will punish you with every chance they get so keeping the ball and minimizing the opportunities for UNC will be vital. Keep UNC off the ball, get Kelyn Rowe and Eder Arreola chances to create and give Chandler Hoffman opportunities. Simple, but it's what the Bruins have to do.
Elsewhere the women's volleyball team is in Lexington, KY for the Sweet 16, where they are taking on Penn St. (right now on ESPN3) It's been an odd year for the Bruins, rocketing up to number one in the country earlier then dropping some matches to weak squads, but hopefully they can find their form today and in the next three matches.
Football and basketball are still the big elephants in the room, especially football. They fund everything else so how those two sports go is how the rest of the athletic department goes and that is what Chianti Dan gets judged on (epic fail). That said, the rest of the sports in Westwood are a source of great pride and the student-athletes are incredible representatives of the university so let's hope that men's soccer and women's volleyball can add to the UCLA title haul with numbers 108 and 109.
GO BRUINS!
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of BruinsNation's (BN) editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of BN's editors.
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Women's volleyball rolling
Up two sets to none against the Nittany Lions. Now finish them!
Two roads diverged in a wood and I – I tweeted my followers to ask which I should take
I was just about to put a thread up for this.
Gametracker for Women’s Volleyball
Both matches are on http://espn.go.com/watchespn/index, so if you have an eligible ISP, you can stream video.
UCLA timeout at 22-18
Penn St with some momentum
Thanks for the link and updates!
It’s official. 25-21 Ucla.
Wow they won
For the more informed, I assume should we be rooting for Kentucky over #1 Texas later even though this is in Lexington? (UCLA plays winner of that game tomorrow at 1:30)
I just noticed that every host site for the round of 16 and round of 8 matches has a local team that made it to the round of 16.
They’re not even all seeded teams. Neither Kentucky nor Florida are seeded, Hawaii is third in their bracket, and Minnesota is fourth in theirs.
GOAL!!
UCLA up 1-0 @ 28:30 in the first
by Objection Penguin on Dec 9, 2011 6:49 PM PST reply actions
End of half, UCLA up 1-0
But UNC’s been dominating possession and was attacking all half – had a lot of really close shots. Two real great saves by our goalie – one he tipped to go off the crossbar and the other he lept on just a few feet away from the goal after the corner kick.
by Objection Penguin on Dec 9, 2011 7:26 PM PST reply actions
bruins midfielders need to really step up
the defense has been under constant, nonstop pressure the whole game
by Objection Penguin on Dec 9, 2011 7:52 PM PST reply actions
wow.
kelyn rowe is not bad.
"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are." --John Wooden
2-2
somehow they score after a rebound on a shot that came from 30 feet away..
by Objection Penguin on Dec 9, 2011 8:26 PM PST reply actions
That was a nice cross.
Almost could have drawn a penalty kick.
Setting up as yet another Bruin choke
What else is new.
by Nestor on Dec 9, 2011 8:42 PM PST via mobile reply actions
Doesn't Have that Vibe to Me
Two good teams going at it … lots of talent on both sides of the ball … ebb and flow. Fun game to watch.
Yeah, fun game to watch
But I have no confidence in our programs.
by Nestor on Dec 9, 2011 8:45 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
are they playing Rebecca Black's Friday
…wtf? lol
LOOKING FORWARD TO THE WEEKEND!
yesterday was thursday (thursday) today it is friday (friday)
how are we in PK's?
we have a real good goalie, so that gives us advantage?
Holy smokes!
UNC almost scored at the buzzer!!! Incredible save!
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
Guess we want to make our loss "dramatic"
by Nestor on Dec 9, 2011 9:01 PM PST via mobile reply actions
I love PKs and I hate PKs
I feel like there’s so much negative energy around UCLA sports right now…we could really use some good fortune.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
I'm not
I just started watching and they almost scored. Some more watching and UCLA will fold, no doubt.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
All right...I have to stop watching
I’m a total jinx
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
There is just a culture of losing
That is festering all over this AD.
by Nestor on Dec 9, 2011 9:07 PM PST via mobile reply actions
looks like we're as good at PK's as the bball team is at free throws
by Objection Penguin on Dec 9, 2011 9:10 PM PST reply actions
Very similar to the Women's World Cup ending.
Give up the equalizer in the closing minutes. Gag in PKs.
UCLA as an overall program
Has no sense of composure and belief. There is just a total culture of losing that is permeating all over this dept. Watch Chianti and his losers celebrate a moral victory.
by Nestor on Dec 9, 2011 9:11 PM PST via mobile reply actions
But, but UNC was #1 and we were #13.
And this was essentially a home game for UNC in Bama. And UNC had 3 first team All Americans.
I can see Chianti Dan’s "blog" now…
Pretty much
I don’t have much hope out of this program. Salcedo has underachieved all through his coaching career in Westwood. Just coasting away knowing Chianti Dan doesn’t care much about demanding excellence.
by Nestor on Dec 9, 2011 9:18 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
Pk
Well, that was one of the worst pk efforts by a UCLA team ever….what’s with all the faking and telegraphing….very frustrating in a game we should have won….we can’t catch a break this year….now up to our great women’s VB team
Go Bruins
by Bruins44 on Dec 9, 2011 9:18 PM PST via mobile reply actions
Glad to see so much support here for UCLA soccer. 174 posts.
Not a lot of fanbases give a rats a$$ about soccer. I’m proud that we do, even though I am disappointed …again.
UCLA Fanbase
I think the Fanbase here in this community cares about all of our sports and the student athletes involved…..wish we could say the same for the donut boy….he mainly cares about Stan’s and Diddy Reese.
Go Bruins….beat Texas and Penn tomorrow!
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